Porcelain-key-socket mechanism.



B. C. WEBSTER & G. P. KNAPP.

PORCELAIN KEY SOCKET MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23.1915.

Patented May 2, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN C. WEBSTER AND GEORGE P. KNAPP, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS TO HARVEY HUBBELL, INCORPORATED, OF BRIDGEPORT, CON- NECTICUT. A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PORCELAIN-KEY-SOCKET MECHANISM.

Application filed September 23, 1915.

county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut;

have invented an Improvement in Porcelain- K-ey-Socket Mechanism, of which the following is a specificatlon.

This invention relates to porcelain keysockets and has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of the switch mechanism and to improve its operation in use, especially in the matter of making a quick and snappy double make and break of the circuit when the shaft is given a quarter turn in either direction.

\Vith these and other objects in view, we have devised the novel switch mechanism which we will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. and using reference characters to indicate the several parts.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a porcelain key socket; Fig. 2 a central vertical section on an enlarged scale, certain of the parts being in elevation; Fig. 3 a plan view on the scale of Fig. 1 of the lower insulating block and the switch mechanism which is carried thereby; Fig. l a similar view with the insulating bearing plate removed; Fig. 5 an inverted plan view of the upper insulating block; Fig. 6 a broken sectional view substantially on the line indicated by 6-6 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 in Fig. 3, including also the upper insulating block.

10 denotes the upper insulating block, 11 the lower insulating block, 12 the screw shell, 13 the cap, H the center contact, 15 the shaft and 16 the cam which is loosely mounted on the shaft and is rotated thereby. All of these parts may be of any ordinary or preferred construction.

It should be understood that the terms upper and lower are relative only and are used for convenience in description. In the present instance, the upper insulating block corresponds in general configur..tion with the lower portion of the cap of an ordinary metallic socket, and the part herein called the cap, which is made of metal, is much smaller than in metallic sockets and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Serial No. 52,196.

is secured to the upper insulating block by screws 17 which engage lugs, not shown, on the under side of the cap.

18 denotes a binding screw, which for conveuience in description, we will term the positive binding screw. This screw engages a plate 19 in electrical connection with a spring contact 20 which is engaged. in the closed circuit position, by the cam. The current passes from the cam through a contact member 21 to a plate contact 22 which is in electrical connection with center contact ll. From the center contact, the current passes through the lamp to the screw shell and through a screw 24 to a plate 25 which carries the negative binding screw 26.

The contact member 21 is, broadly speaking, an L-shaped lever which has its fulcrum on an upwardly projecting wall 27, formed upon the lower insulating block, which it will of course be understood, is suitably recessed to receive the operative parts 'of the structure. The long arm of the contact member is adapted to be engaged by the cam in closing the circuit, as shown in Fig. 2. The short arm of the contact member lies in a. pocket 32, in the lower insulating block. and is normally raised out of the closed circuit position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, by a spring 28, lying in the pocket and bearing against the short arm of the member. The operative portion of the long arm of the contact member is preferably widened, as at 29, to increase the bearing surface which is engaged by the cam. The spring is shown as retained in place by means of a plate 30, in the present instance T-shaped, which is socketed in 9. correspondingly shaped recess in the lower insulating block. The shaft is retained in place by an insulating bearing plate 31 which is secured to the lower insulating block.

The operation will be readilyunderstood from the drawing.

The circuit closing position of the parts is shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 6. It will be noted that one end of the cam is in electrical connection with spring contact 20 and the other end thereof has pressed the contact member downward against the power of the spring into electrical connection with plate contact 22, thus closing the circuit, as

already described. The cam, as already" stated, has a loose engagement with the shaft, and when turned from the position :wlilHYD in full lines in Figs. 2 and 6 toward the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, (:UEnpitiLS the movement with a snap. The nstant this snap action of the cam takes phi-"e, the circuit will be broken between the Hi l and the spring contact. the contact f :nber will be released and the spring, :--.ctmg on the short arm of the contact member, will swing said member on w: ii 27 and carrr the long arm thereof out of engagement with the plate contact and thus break the circuit. \Vhen the cam is turned from the dotted position toward the full line position, the movement is likewise completed with a snap, although not quiteas sharp as before, as the action is against the power of the spring. The action of the cam in this movement is to engage the spring contact and to force the contact member into en gagement with the plate contact, and thus clo e the circuit again.

Having thus described our invention, We

claim:

1. A mechanism of the character described comprising a spring contact, a plate contact, a contact member, a spring normally acting to more. said member to the open circuit position, a shaft and a cam loosely mounted on the shaft and rotated thereby, which is adapted to engage the spring contact and to force the contact member into electrical. connection with the plate contact against the power of the spring.

2. A mechanism of the character described comprising contacts, a, swinging contact member, a cam adapted to engage one of the contacts and to move the contact member into engagement with the other contact, and a spring for moving said memthe cl'mracte'r deconiprismg contacts, an L-shapetl member. a wall upon which said cam adapted to engage ml engag open circuit posatmn when r by the cam.

l. in a mechan ism of the character de scribed the com nn Lion with a spring contact, a piate contact and a contact member, of a shaft, a cam loosely mountedthereon and rotated thereby and which is adapted to engage the spring contact and to move the contact member into electrical connection with the plate contact, and a spring acting to move the contact member to the open circuit position when said member is released by the cam. g

5. In a mechanisn'iiof the character described the combination with contacts and an L-shaped contact member, of a cam adapted to engage one of the contacts and to move the long arm of the contact member into electrical connection with the other con tact, and a spring acting on the short arm of the contact member to move said member to the open circuit position.

In testimony whereof tnres.

we atlix our signa- BENJAMIN C. WVEBCTER. GEORGE P. KNAPP.

\Vitnesses PAUL BLACKBURN, R. W. MAUNAUGHTON.

(ionic: at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. 0. 

